Bradford-based multidisciplinary artist and creative curator, Daniel Okezue, has been honoured with the Africa4u Award 2025 for Community Impact in Arts and Culture, recognising his outstanding contribution to the creative landscape and cultural cohesion across Yorkshire’s African and wider diaspora communities.

The Africa4u Awards, hosted yearly by Africa4u CIC under the leadership of community leader and broadcaster, Tony Fernandez, celebrates Africans in Yorkshire who are driving social change, cultural excellence, and community empowerment. This year’s ceremony, held in Bradford, brought together artists, entrepreneurs, academics, and civic leaders to honour individuals whose work continues to redefine the African narrative in the UK.

For Daniel Okezue, whose work bridges poetry, performance, theatre, and community engagement, this recognition is both humbling and affirming.
“Art is my way of building bridges,” Okezue reflected during his acceptance speech. “It’s not just about performance, it’s about creating spaces where identity, hope, and community can meet and thrive. Bradford has given me that opportunity, and I’m grateful to share it back through art.”

Okezue, who has been a visible force in West Yorkshire’s cultural scene, is known for his involvement in transformative creative projects such as Fragments of West Yorkshire, The Coffee Shop, and The Trial of Dedan Kimathi, alongside his hosting and creative work with the Bradford African Festival of Arts (BAFA). His artistic direction often explores themes of identity, belonging, and resilience, weaving African heritage with the modern diasporic experience.

“He represents the best of African creativity in the UK,” said Tony Fernandez, founder of Africa4u CIC. “His passion for storytelling, his leadership in the arts, and his commitment to community development embody the very essence of what the Africa4u Awards stands for.”

In the past year, Okezue’s work has also been recognised for its behind-the-scenes impact, having received the Behind the Scene Award at the Bradford African Festival of Arts 2025. His creative footprint continues to expand through collaborations with institutions such as OAK Initiative UK, Theatre in the Mill, and Arts Council England-funded community projects.

As he looks ahead, Okezue remains focused on using art as a tool for unity and empowerment.
“The real award,” he smiled, “is seeing people connect, when someone tells me a poem helped them feel seen, or a performance made them laugh through their own struggles. That’s where community truly lives.”

With the Africa4u Award 2025, Okezue joins a growing list of creatives shaping Yorkshire’s evolving cultural identity, proving once again that the power of art lies not only in expression but in its ability to heal, connect, and transform communities.